US says it’s clearing Iranian mines in effort to open the Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Navy Begins Mine-Clearing Operations in Strait of Hormuz as Oil Route Remains in Peril

President Donald Trump announced that U.S. Navy forces have begun clearing Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passageway through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply typically flows. The operation comes amid a tenuous ceasefire in the weeks-long conflict between the United States and Iran that has severely disrupted global energy markets.

“I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!” Trump declared on social media Thursday, adding that he has instructed the Navy to attack any vessel attempting to place mines in the waterway.

Security experts caution that the mine-clearing mission could stretch over months, with Pentagon officials reportedly informing House lawmakers during a classified briefing that the operation might require up to six months to complete. When questioned about this timeline, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth avoided providing specifics but did not refute the estimate.

“Allegedly that was something that was said,” Hegseth told reporters at a Pentagon news conference. “But we feel confident in our ability, in the correct period of time, to clear any mines that we identify.”

The mine-clearing initiative represents the latest effort by the Trump administration to restore traffic through the strategic chokepoint as rising energy prices threaten broader economic consequences. Other measures include blockading Iranian ports, seizing vessels connected to Tehran, and participating in ceasefire negotiations scheduled in Pakistan this weekend.

Admiral Brad Cooper, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, has confirmed the mine-clearing mission but offered few operational details. Military analysts note that while no large U.S. minesweeping vessels have been visibly deployed in the strait, the Navy has access to divers, explosive ordnance disposal teams, and equipment that can be operated from land – assets that present less obvious targets than warships.

Two U.S. littoral combat ships with mine-hunting capabilities are currently stationed in the Middle East, according to defense officials speaking on condition of anonymity. Additionally, two Avenger-class minesweepers based in Japan are en route to the region but were still traversing the Pacific Ocean as of Friday.

“Minehunting is walking through your yard pulling individual weeds and dandelions so that you can walk safely from one side to the other. Minesweeping is more like mowing the grass,” explained Steven Wills, a retired Navy lieutenant commander and expert at the Center for Maritime Strategy.

The actual presence of mines remains unconfirmed. Iran has only mentioned the “likelihood” of mines in pre-war shipping routes but has not confirmed deploying them. Nevertheless, the mere suggestion of mines has proven highly effective in disrupting maritime traffic.

“You don’t even have to have laid mines — you just have to make people believe that you’ve laid mines,” said Emma Salisbury, a scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s National Security Program. “And even if the U.S. sweeps the strait and says everything’s clear, all the Iranians have to do is say, ‘Well, actually, you haven’t found them all yet.'”

Salisbury estimates that Iran possesses several thousand mines, primarily older Soviet models along with some newer Chinese or domestically manufactured variants. The explosives are likely positioned on the seabed or tethered below the surface, rather than floating visibly, and can be triggered by changes in water pressure or engine sounds from passing vessels.

Under current arrangements, ships must now follow a northern route closer to Iran’s coastline to transit the strait. Insurance companies have imposed additional requirements, demanding that vessel owners contact Iranian authorities to secure safe passage certifications against various threats, including missile attacks, drone strikes, and potential seizures.

“That plays in the Iranians’ favor, because whether there are mines there or not, people think there’s mines there and they will operate accordingly,” explained Dylan Mortimer, a marine war insurance expert at Marsh.

Scott Savitz, a naval operations researcher at RAND Corporation, notes that complete mine clearance may not be necessary for commercial traffic to resume. “There’s still areas that have not been cleared from World War II — and in some cases, World War I — just because it is so resource intensive and it takes a lot of time,” he said.

Eventually, economic incentives will likely drive shipping companies to accept calculated risks and resume transit through the strait, though rebuilding confidence in the waterway’s safety may require considerable time even after hostilities fully cease.